Curtain-fixture for car-windows



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

F. H. BASSETT. CURTAIN FIXTURE FOR GAR WINDUWS.

v No. 575,410. Patented Jan. 19, 1897.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

P. H. BASSETT. l CURTAIN' FIXTURE POR GAR WINDOWS. No. 575,410.

Patented Jan. 19, 1897'n /NVENTOH Z105 26 @wmf H/JA TTOHNEY Tn: nonmsPatins co. Pnooumo. wAsnmmnN, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED H. BASSETT, OF VATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

CURTAIN-FIXTU RE FOR CAR-WINDOWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,410, dated January19, 1897.

Application tiled November l, 1895. Serial No. 567,662. (No model.)

To LU whom, t muy concern:

Be it known that I, FRED H. BASSETT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCurtain-Fixtures for Car-Vindows, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in curtain fixtures adapted forcar windows and it consists in certain details of construction to bemore fully set forth in the following specification.

' To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a front elevationof a window with curtain attached thereto and partially rolled, showingalso the side casing broken away, exposing to view the guiderod andclutch. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through line cc of Fig. 1 andbroken view of the lower part of the casing.4 Fig. 3 is a broken view ofthe casing and a sectional view of the upper part of the same andcurtain-roller and tubular rod or lower slat through line of Fig. l,showing the curtain drawn up to the stop located at the upper part ofthe casing. Fig. 4- is a view similar to Fig. 3, except that the stop tolimit the upward movement of the curtain is turned and the curtainwithdrawn from its engagement with the side guide-rods. Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. et, showing thecurtain disengaged from the guide-rodsand drawn out from the casing, so that the reverse side can be dusted.Fig. 6 is a detail end view of .the tubular rod for the lower end of thecurtain with the trip-plate inserted in the end. Fig. 7 is a detailperspective view of the end of the tubular curtain-rod. of one of thetrip-plates and fastening-screw therefor. Fig. 9 is a detail perspectiveview of the packing-block used between the longitudinal face of thetrip-plate and interior wall of the tubular curtain-rod. Fig. 10 is adetail view of a headless pointed screw for securing the trip-plate tothe tubular curtainrod. Fig. ll is a detail modified construction of theflnger-ring attached to the center of the tubular c'u1tainrod ,foropera-ting the Fig. S is a detail perspective viewl same. Fig. l2 is adetail perspective view of one of the guide-rod clutches.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

l represents the window-casing; 2, the window; 3, the curtain or shade;4L, the curtaini roller. 5 is a front piece or cap extending across thefront upper face of the casing and projecting vertically a shortdistance below the curtain-roller et, sufficient to hide such rollerfrom view, and also for a purpose to be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the roller 4 being journaled in suitable stationarybearingsat the upper part of the casing.

G is one of two guide-rods hidden from view by the strips la and 1b, theone on the left being partially broken away, so as to expose such rod toView. As the rod on the opposite side of the casing is similar to theone shown at the left, and the clutches presently to be described, whichengage the side guide-rods, being alike, a description of one willanswer for both.

7 is a tubular rod attached to the lower end of the curtain 3. This rodcarries in each end a tripplate 8, similar to the one shown at Fig. 8.The end of the rod 7, Fig. 7, is provided with the slots 7 a, to receivethe projections S of this trip, while the tailpiece 81 will extend intothe interior of the rod 7. It will be observed that the end a of rod 7is longer than the part b. lV hen, therefore, the trip is inserted inthe end ot' the tubular rod 7 (see also Fig. 6,) it is prevented fromrotating therein by reason of the slots 7 in such rod and is alsopermitted to have a horizontal adi justment therein to accommodatewindowcasifngs of different widths. The longer pro jecting end a of therod 7 will thus afford an extra bearing for the trip-plate when so eX-tended, as well as give a better resistance and support for the plate.

9, Figs. 6 and 9, is a semicircular blocking-piece inserted in the endof rod 7` and alongside of the trip-plate b.

Two modes of fastening the trip-plate in any position withi-n the limitof its longitudinal adjustment are shown, one consisting of the threadedhole l0, extending through the block 9 to receive the headless screw 11,Fig. 10, 12 being a threadless hole provided in IOO - plate S.

the side of the rod 7 to admit such screw. lVhen, therefore, the screw11 is inserted, as described, its pointed end 11 will sink into the sideof the tailpiece of the trip-plate and retain it firmly in any of itsadjusted positions, preventing any accidental longitudinal movement.Vhen the other method is adopted, the screw 13, Fig. 8, has simply athreaded end 13 to be inserted in the threaded hole 14, (shown in dottedposition,) in the trip- In this case the hole 12 of the rod 7 will beelongated, as shown by dotted lines 12". This slot will also beoutwardly tapered to permit the tapered head 13b of the screw 13 toenter and bring such head flush with the outer surface of the rod 7. Thehole 10 in the block 9 will in this case be threadless to receive thebody of the screw 13. Now when it is necessary to adjust the trip-plate8 the screw 13 is loosened sufcient to move such plate, when such screwis tightened to secure the plate firmly in its adjusted position. Whenthis latter method is used, the block 9 can, if desired, be dispensedwith. It will be understood, however, that the adjustable feature abovedescribed need be applied to only one end of the curtain-rod. Thetripplate in the opposite end can be rigidly secured in place, while theother is made adjustable for casings of different widths.

15 is a clutch-journal projecting from the end of the tri p-plate, whichjournal passes through the hole c of the clutch 16, Fig. 12, the end ofsuch journal being preferably headed to prevent the clutch dropping off.The opening 16a of the clutch engages with the guide-rod 6. (See alsoFigs. l, 2, and 3.) The iange portion 16b of the clutch is adapted toengage with the trip projection 8b, whereby the clutch is tilted, so alsto release its grip on the guide-rod, as fully described and illustratedin the application filed contemporaneously herewith.

17 is a stop pivotally supported on the screw 18, attached to the strip19, projecting` laterally from the front strip or cap 5. This stopserves to limit the normal upward movement of the curtain, as shown atFig. 3, through the medium of the finger-ring 19, attached to thecentral portion of the tubular rod 7, which has the clamping-head 19,which head will strike against the stop 17. When, therefore, it isdesired to disengage the curtain from the -side guide-rods, so as todust the surface nearest the window, a necessary and important featurein car-window shades, the stop is turned, as shown at Fig. 4, allowingthe clutches to be disengaged from their guiderods, which rods areshortened for that purpose, so that there will be sufficientspacebetween the top 6 of the guide-rod G and the under side of thestrip 19' to permit the disengaged clutch to be carried toward thewindow, when it can be pulled out, as shown at Fig. 5, and the reverseside dusted. A forward movement of the curtain-rod, when in the positionshown at Fig. 4:, will cause the clutches to automatically rengage theguiderod.

The finger-ring 19 is used as a means for tilting the curtain-rod torelease, as before mentioned, the clutches from the guide-rods, so thatthe spring (not shown) in the curtainroller 4 will draw such curtain upuntil the finger-ring is released,whereupon the clutches will rengagewith their guide-rods. The screw 2O, Fig. 1, passes through the upperpart 19 of the finger-ring and the tubular rod 7 to connect it to suchrod.

ln the modification, and preferable form, shown at Fig. 1l," whichconsists of the double ring 19b and 19, the former adapted to embracethe curtain-loop and the rod, the latter for the finger to enter andmanipulate the rod, the upper ring or body portion 19d being split sothat, in connection with the screw 20, a firm grip can be maintained onthe curtain-rod, and thus avoid putting the screw through such rod. Iprefer that the screw-hole in the body 19d does not extend entirelythrough, so that an unbroken surface is presented when attached to thecurtain-rod.

I do not wish to be confined to the use of side guide-rods for locatingthe bottom end of a curtain in connection with the adjustable-stopfeature at the top of the casing, whereby the curtain is limited in itsupward movement or removed entirely from its side supports, as thisfeature is applicable to any device or construction that may be employedto locate the lower end of the curtain and guide it in a vertical path.

Having thus described my invention, what, therefore, I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a curtain-ixture, of t-he character described, the combinationwith the curtainwhose roll is journaled at the upper part of thecasing-fof an adjustable stop, a support therefor, said stop adapted tolimit the upward movement of the curtain, when desired to retain it inits normal operative position, or adjusted so as to permit a temporaryremoval of the same, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a curtain-fixture whose roll is journaled at the upper part of thecasing and carrying a curtain whose lower'free end is maintained in itsvertical position by suitable side guides located along the sideuprights of the casing, and adapted to sustain such curtain in anyposition within its vertical range, of a stop adapted to limit theupward movement of said curtain, in its normal operati-ve position, oradj usted so as to permit a temporary removal of such curtain, for thepurpose specified.

3. The herein -described curtain-fixture, comprising in combination, acurtain-roll carrying a curtain, said roll j ournaled at the upper partof the casing, side guide-rods, clutches, and trips, as shown, anadjustable stop to lim it the upward movement of the cur- IOO IIO

tain, or be adjusted to temporarily release the said curtain from itsguide-rods, for the purpose set forth.

4. The herein-described curtain-fixture, comprising in combination, acurtain-roll j ournaled at the upper part of the casing, the free end ofthe curtain carrying trips and clutches to engage the side guide-rods,said rods shortened sufficient to permit the disengagement of theclutches, temporarily, therefrom, combined with a stop adapted to limitthe upward movement of the curtain, or adjusted so as to permit thecurtain to extend its upward travel sufficient to disengage the clutchesfrom the guide-rods, as described.

5. In a curtain-fixture, of the character described, comprising incombination, the tubular curtain-rod, slotted ends therefor, atrip-plate adapted to enter said rod and slots to prevent rotation; oneof said trip-plates made longitudinally adjustable to accommodatewindows of different Widths, and means connected With said trip-platesfor locating the shade in any position Within the limit of its travel,substantially as shown.

6. The combination with the curtain-rod, of the trip or bearing plates,one in each end thereof, a slot in the end of such rod to admit suchplates, the end of the rod having a step face so as to give a bettersupport for the bearing-plate, in the longitudinal adj ustment, atightening-screw to exert a transverse pressure on said bearing-plate soas to secure it in any of its adjusted positions, substantially as setforth.

Signed at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, this 21st Clay of October, A. D. 1895.

FRED H. BASSET'F.

Witnesses:

WM. E. WAOKLEY, GEO. W. LovEJoY.

